Applying

So, Jeremy and I have been watching God faithfully meet our needs financially for about the last 19 years.  So, isn't it interesting that I really didn't want to apply for school at Missouri State University until I knew exactly how I was going to pay for school?  As January 2012 rolled around, I began sensing it was time to apply for school for the Fall 2012 school year.  I had gone to MSU's website, and learned that the tuition is $6,793.00 per year at MSU, not including books.  And, of course, the cost of driving back and forth to Springfield every day to attend classes.  And, of course, not working during those hours. 

So, I really wanted to SEE how we were going to pay for all of that BEFORE I applied.  That is always a lot more comfortable, and yet, that is rarely the way I have seen God move in these last twenty years that I have been living for Him.  He likes for you to step out in faith knowing and trusting that He will take care of you, and you know what?  He ALWAYS does!  I love Him so much!

So, one morning towards the middle of this last January, I woke up and just knew that I was going to have to apply for school and then watch God pay for it!  I was pretty intimidated with just the thought of applying for school, really.  I mean, the last time I had applied for college was in 1990, and the application process back then was completely different than the application process is now.  What we did way back then was call and/or visit the school and get information about the school, ask them to mail us an application, fill out the application by manually inserting the application into a typewriter and row-by-row typing it.  Is this familiar to anyone that is reading this?  If it is, then you are probably close my age or older.  Then, when you were satisfied with how the application looked, you mailed it in to the school.  This was the application process with which I was familiar.

So, I went to MSU's website to find their phone number.  I, in my 1990 mentality, was going to call the school and ask them to send me an application.  I was getting ready to do this.  I actually dialed MSU's number and hung up because a thought hit me that I might be able to just download the application on the computer and print it off from home, and then send it in to the school.  So, I searched around on the website, and sure enough, there was an application that I could download and print.  However, as I was looking into that option, I saw another link where I could just fill out the application online and submit it right from my home computer, no mailing needed at all.  I clicked on that link, filled out the application in less than fifteen minutes, and submitted it by the click of the mouse.  I even paid the $35 application fee by entering my debit number into their system, no check writing needed either.  My, my, my...things are a lot different than they were in 1990!

I almost felt like I hadn't really applied.  It seriously took less than fifteen minutes.  "Well, it certainly is a lot easier to apply for college these days than it used to be, " I thought.  After I submitted the application, it even informed me that they would be emailing me when my application was approved.  I wouldn't even be receiving that by mail.  Why do I share this story?  I guess because it shows the humor in going back to school at the age of forty, even though, of course, age is irrelevant.

Provision, you ask?  Because yes, that is how I started this whole story.  Once I had applied and was accepted, we were able to fill out the government FAFSA form, which Jeremy helped me greatly with (OK, He did it and I watched!), because I was also very intimidated by that online form as well.  Thank you, God, for my wonderful husband!  Anyway, it turns out that the fact that we have five children who are all our dependents helps me greatly with the American government when it comes to going back to school at the age of forty to get a Bachelor's Degree.  We qualify for $5550 for this school year (Yes, $5550!), so I was very thankful to God when I saw that!  Soon after that, I learned from surfing around on my MSU link (Yes, my MSU link! You also get your own "My MSU" link when you go to school these days!) that I somehow got a $1000 Missouri Access Grant for this school year.  So, my tuition for the whole school year is already almost paid, and I still haven't heard back from the scholarships that I have applied for, and I have a feeling that I'll get at least one of those, but we'll see.

Yes, the whole story is not there yet, because of course, I haven't even started school yet.  But, there is one thing I am certain, God will make a way.  He always does.  I've seen Him do it time and time again, and I know this time will be no different.  I'll keep you "posted."  Ha! Ha!  Did you notice my little play on words there?  "Posted."  Yeah, pretty funny, right?

Love to you all, and thanks for reading my blog!  Just know, whatever is going on in your life, God is right there, wanting to help you, lead you, guide you, speak to you, love on you.  "But," you might be thinking, "I don't know if God really wants to help me.  And, even if He did, how would He do it?"  Let me tell you, He does want to help you, probably even more than you want help.  And, I don't know how He'll do it, but I do know that when you go before Him with a sincere heart and ask Him to help you, He will.  He truly will.  And, then the next thing you know, you'll be writing a blog about it to tell others what great things God has done for YOU!!!